O'Neill Senator Speaker
Winter 2017
A Message From O'Neill Principal, Matt Durbala ...
Dear Parents,
Time continues to fly by and the 2nd quarter is coming to a close. The staff and students are ready to embark on the second half of the year while continuing to sustain and improve upon our tradition of excellence.
I look forward to the second half of the year and the activities we have planned for our students inside and outside of the classroom. Whether it is an SEL (Social Emotional Learning) lesson, a real-world math project, or watching an after school event, such as a basketball game or band concert, our students are given opportunities to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally. Educating the whole child is important to us and providing our children various avenues to grow as students and citizens is essential to their overall development.
As always, your feedback is important to us. Please do not hesitate to provide us feedback that may assist us in continuing to move in the right direction. We have tremendous support from all of our stakeholders and as a staff, we are fortunate to work in a learning community that puts education at the top of the priority list. Thank you for all that you do.
Matt Durbala, Principal
A Message From the O'Neill PTA ...
We have had a slow start this year. Our monthly meetings have been rescheduled because of the exciting fall we have had this year, including curriculum night and election night. The board and the chair people have been emailing a lot, however. We have had our hands in many things this year. We have helped the staff with registration and locker set up night. We helped with school pictures. Our Spiritwear Sale geared up many of our OMS Senators thanks to our PTA volunteers. This year we had the most entries to the National PTA Reflections competition that our chairperson has submitted in her four years at OMS. Seventeen OMS students showed their creative talent! Many PTA volunteers organized and served meals to our wonderful teachers for parent/teacher conferences dinners and American Education Week breakfast. Another generous set of volunteers signed up to help with the eighth grade event- VIP Day. So many of our O’Neill families went out and made our first restaurant night at Chipotle a good success. Over $600 will be donated by Chipotle to our PTA. Thanks for not making dinner and helping out our PTA. And a even bigger “THANK YOU!” to Chipotle for their kind donation. Our PTA has had one of its major fundraisers already- the Cookie Dough Sale. Plans are underway for the eighth grade dance classes- a fantastic program that is truly memorable. As you can see, we have many great volunteers that have already made our PTA very successful.
We are excited to launch our new website. You can access it through the school website or by going to http://omspta.wixsite.com/mysite. We are working on making it a site that all OMS families can go to for simple questions about the current programs the PTA is hosting. Although we are still building it, you are welcome to see how it coming along. Make sure you take a look at our tentative bylaws. We will be adopting the new bylaws in December. Your support and opinions are welcome. All registered members are allowed to vote in the passing of the new bylaws.
We have been so lucky to have many great parents volunteer and chair our events and programs. However, for many this is their last year in District 58. This is your opportunity to come join our great organization and for you to see how gratifying it can be to be part of our team. Almost all of the positions have short time commitments. The best part is that we have had such great leaders this far, new leaders will find the transition very easy.
Remember all OMS families are welcome to join us during our monthly meetings. They are usually on the second Tuesdays of the month at 6:30 pm in the LRC. Look for emails from Mr. Durbala for our next meeting!
Social Studies Department News ...
Students in all Social Studies classes participated in an Election Unit that culminated in a mock presidential election on Tuesday, November 8th. On election day, students brought their “Voter Registration” application to the LRC where one of our “election judges” checked their form and signature. Students then voted using a Google Form that allowed them to vote for one presidential & vice presidential candidate. Throughout the day, classes were updated with live results. In preparation for the mock election, students researched basic platforms of the Republican, Democratic, Green, and Libertarian parties.
8th grade students also researched one specific election issue and one of the four presidential candidates. They presented their information about the candidate’s plans for that specific issue. It was a great way for students to see our democracy in action and to be an educated voter.
Groch
In Miss Groch’s social studies class we focused on election unit, Veterans Day, Operation Gratitude, & China’s One Child Policy. We explored the history of China’s overpopulation issue. China’s controversial One Child Policy was overturned last year. Students analyzed primary & secondary sources in their DBQ project. 7th graders had to decide whether or not the policy was a good idea & defend their claim in an argumentative format.
Students learned about the history of Veteran’s day & participated in Operation Gratitude. O’Neill 7th & 8th grade students donated Halloween candy to send overseas to the troops! Students wrote letters to soldiers to show gratitude for all that they do in defending our freedoms & keeping us safe! We are now moving on to study UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. How do we preserve natural & cultural sites around the world? Stay tuned!
Scapellato
Mrs. Scapellato’s Social Studies class is wrapping up their Monsoon Asia Unit. Students have learned all about Japan, and the many ways their country is affected by their high population density – Transportation/Housing/Land Use/Health. To wrap up Monsoon Asia classes will learn about China’s leaders and the changes they have brought to their country over time. Also, China’s economic growth with be discussed, their efforts to have more clean energy, the effects of its rapidly growing population and steps that have been taken to achieve zero population growth in years to come.
Next up, Africa Unit. Topics included The Journey of the Nile, Life in the Sahara and the Sahel, Resources and Power in Post-Apartheid South Africa and Women’s Role in the Development of Africa. Students will complete a pamphlet project about Women Micro-Entrepreneurs in Africa that will serve as a nice transition into our Economy Unit. As we dig deeper into our economic system, students will learn about entrepreneurship, labor, market, personal choice, and supply and demand. Students will enjoy many real life simulations during this unit that will be an exciting and memorable experience.
Brost
Mrs. Brost’s classes also did some additional election-related activities to prepare for the mock election. Students learned some new Election vocabulary and discussed whether or not candidates should be allowed to use attack/negative ads. We also used the website www.fivethirtyeight.com to analyze the Electoral College predcitions and to map out a strategy for the candidates to get to 270 electoral votes.
After the Election Unit, our attention switched to our Civil Rights theme. We will spend most of 2nd quarter on Civil Rights related topics, starting with slavery and the government’s treatment of Native Americans. Students will work on text marking, writing a reading response, and creating a propaganda poster on women’s rights. These are just a few of the many activities we’ll be doing this quarter.
Jones
Since our last edition, Jones groups took on the now difficult task of organizing the thirteen colonies to support the documented Declaration of Independence, with the harsh realities of now fighting the British for that independence. Our studies in Chapter 7 took us through the logistics and strategies of this new, fledgling army in its struggles to overcome the far stronger and resourced, British army. We watched an opening portion from the movie, “The Patriot”, which hopefully provided our students with the background to the physical and psychologial struggles of the colonist, many of whom were neutral or even opposed to the revolution and loyal to the British crown. We concluded at Yorktown, (not the shopping mall) with the victory of the Continental Army and the support of France in that endeavor.
From this victorious conclusion to now, what many regarded as the harder part, how to form a new government and prepare a document to support that administrative role. In Chapter 8, we read and learned of the struggles of the ‘framers’ of our Constitution to come to terms with a universal document that all could agree with and stick to, in their everyday lives.
Our work in Chapter 8 took us to that ‘right of passage’ for our eighth grade, the successful assessment of student learning of the U.S. Constitution. From the freedoms of speech and the press, to the importance of the 13th Amendment, our groups were provided a reasonable overview of this enduring document of our nation’s governance.
As a postscript to that, students were asked to compose, write and draw their version of a 28th Amendment. Posters are displayed in our hallways, around Room 107.
At the time of writing, the Jones groups have started work on an ‘Explain Everything’ presentation that will be the features of our ‘December weeks’ ahead.
Language Arts
SEVENTH GRADE READING/LANGUAGE ARTS:
In Mrs. Ferroli’s seventh grade reading class, students are currently engaged in a nonfiction genre study. Students are learning to identify type, topic, Main Idea and Central Idea within informational text. In Mrs. West and Miss Nickell’s seventh grade reading class, students are participating in a mystery genre study. Students are learning to make predictions, visualizations and identify mood, tone and suspense, while using direct evidence from the text to support their response.
Students are currently finishing with Explanatory Writing, as well as the writing of friendly letters. All students will be writing an Argumentative piece before the holiday break, persuading an audience why they are deserving of a specific gift or present. Students will also be asked to provide a counterclaim paragraph within their piece as well. Each week students are writing each day. They are also involved with word parts and leveled vocabulary words, as well as grammar lessons.
EIGHTH GRADE READING/LANGUAGE ARTS:
Annotate, text mark, margin notes. Whatever you want to call it, Ms. Callaghan’s class has been doing it. This is a comprehension and analysis strategy that involves taking notes on your thought process as you read. Students practiced this skill at the beginning of the year with S.L. Rottman novels and they will continue with their nonfiction unit. In addition to text marking, students started analyzing mood and tone. As an introduction to this, they analyzed several movie clips. Then, they moved on to the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe. To fully understand Poe’s writing, they researched Poe’s life by reading journal articles, books, and by completing a webquest. Students worked in small groups to create a presentation to teach a Poe story to their classmates. In addition, they read The Tell Tale Heart as a whole class activity and they did a Breakout-EDU challenge using information from the text. Breakout-EDU is a problem solving activity where students use their knowledge to figure out clues to open various locked boxes.
In writing, students wrote a friendly letter to an important person for V.I.P. Day on November 22. Currently, students are writing their first novel! This is an online challenge to write a novel in a month. Ask your student about this project. After a career lesson from their counselor Mr. Kincaid, students were introduced to their next writing project that involves researching and writing a speech to present on a career goal. Ms. Callaghan’s class continues to work toward their reading goals and improving their vocabulary through weekly Vocabulary in Action and their bi-weekly word part study. Everyone is working hard!
Greetings from Mr. Rennels’ classes! The second quarter has begun and students have been busy. In reading, Edgar Allan Poe took center stage with a review of his sad and tragic life that became the inspiration for his body of work. Death, disease and debauchery dominates his themes throughout his many tales of the dark side of life. The unit will conclude with a leveled reading of The Tell Tale Heart and a courtroom trial of the narrator. Did the old man’s vulture-like eye drive the narrator to insanity at the time of the murder? Or was this crime a meticulously and carefully planned premeditated act? Students will assume various roles in the process, research the definitions and legal terms for the trial and attempt to persuade a jury of his peers as to his guilt or innocence! Stay tuned.
In language, Mr. Rennels’ classes have just begun their research for the Career unit. What does it take to become a neurosurgeon, a corporate litigator, paramedic, or even an elementary teacher - Education! And lots of it! Students found the cost of a four year degree, the working conditions, commute times, housing costs, salary, and a host of other pertinent information that helped them make an informed decision on the future career path. Additionally, students packaged the information into a 4-6 minute speech that they presented to the class. The unit will conclude with their research paper that will inform the reader, using direct and indirect quotations along with information gleaned from their sources. This should make for some interesting reading!
Finally, the second quarter in ELA will see an author study (Rottman), poetry, autobio writing, daily quick writes, vocabulary and of course grammar! Students will find that organizing and prioritizing their workload will benefit their time management skills as we begin the new year. As always, please feel free to contact Mr. Rennels as necessary. Enjoy the winter and Happy New Year!
In Mrs. Kostellic Language Arts classes, students are currently working on an adolescence portfolio piece for their final project due at the end of the year. We will be reliving embarrassing moments and memories so students can hold onto their middle school years! In the next few weeks, students will be taking a career survey and will be researching their desired career for a speech due in December. In grammar, we are wrapping up indirect and direct objects. Then, students will be practicing identifying the correct verb tense of a sentence in preparation for our next writing piece. Our students will be flashing forward into their future lives and then flashing back to the past, which is currently the present.
In Reading, students are wrapping up their suspense unit and will soon dive into a nonfiction genre study. We will be reviewing nonfiction type, topic, main idea and central idea with text evidence. They will then be asked to compare three different mediums for their nonfiction final assessment, with a focus on these skills and strategies.
Mrs. Saenz 8th grade Reading classes are currently working on their suspense unit focusing on identifying and analyzing mood, tone, and foreshadowing elements. After Winter break, the students will be beginning their consumable in-class novel titled, Full Tilt, by Neil Shusterman, where we will analyze symbolism and practice text-marking strategies
In Language Arts class, we began our quarter writing friendly letters to the VIPs in our lives to invite them to celebrate American Education Week on November 22nd. Shortly after, Mr. Kincaid visited our classroom to help us explore our future careers through Career Cruising. From here, we will be focusing on teaching mini-lessons to target specific skills of research, including using quotations, paraphrasing, and summarizing. Later in the quarter, we will continue our journey through our Confessions book and begin exploring our family history while writing informational compositions.
We look forward to another successful quarter with the students, strengthening and learning new skills in Reading and Language Arts!
GIFTED READING/LANGUAGE ARTS:
Mrs. Saenz Gifted Reading/ Language Arts class began the quarter by writing letters to the Very Important People in our lives. The 8th graders invited their VIP to our annual celebration of American Education Week, while the 7th graders shared their appreciation of their VIP in the friendly letters.
Shortly after, we began an intense study of suspense writing and analysis through the works of Edgar Allan Poe. We began by researching his life and evaluating how his life influenced much of his work. While reading and analyzing many stories written by Poe, students are focusing on suspense elements. Ultimately, our class will be recreating one of his pieces using technology, and will apply new meaning of their chosen text through mood and tone. We also are creating our own suspense stories using narrative techniques. As a culminating project, our class will then be hosting a mock trial, putting the narrator from the famous story, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, on trial.
Through evaluation and analysis of literature, we are exploring many complex texts and are creating new meaning from them. By applying our previous knowledge and experiences to the literature we explore, we are continuing to expand our knowledge and grow as readers and writers through the year!
Art News
Mrs. Gorvett’s 7th grade art class has just wrapped up an exciting unit on Value. Our 7th graders used plastic army men as their subjects for this fun and dynamic drawing. Their final pieces were a great success! Next they will be exploring the wonderful world of clay! They will start off creating Clay Monsters, and then they will use their expert skills to create an Architecture Slab Tile. They are sure to turn out wonderfully!
Science
As the weather turns cold, Dr. Van Dyke and Mr. Mueller’s 8th grade science classes will be turning up the heat with our chemistry unit. How atoms move and combine will be an area of discovery along with how applying energy to a substance can change its properties. From element bingo to breaking apart water into hydrogen and oxygen our students will push themselves into furthering our objective to have them Think Like A Scientist!
It’s been an ENERGY filled start to quarter 2 in both Hamilton and Pinkus science classes. Halloween allowed for an EXPLOSIVE start to our discussion of chemical reactions. The students had the challenging task of self carving their pumpkins, and boy, did they achieve it!
The students then began investigating our driving question of “How organisms stay alive.” The students developed their own vocabulary for the unit and began studying the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Currently, they are illustrating 2D models to explain and predict how matter and energy flows in and out of organisms. Ask your scientist about their model and they can teach you all about Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. Up next will be Genius Hour where students self initiate their science learning and become a genius of their choice science topic. Coming soon look out for Ecosystems and the OMS Hospital.
Math
Senator Speaker 7th Grade Math
Second quarter is off to a great start in all seventh grade math classes. In Common Core 7, we have finished investigating the world of proportions and how they relate to problem solving, dimensional analysis, unit rates and the slope of a line. After Thanksgiving, Common Core students will be investigating how percents relate to real life by calculating sales tax, tips, mark-ups, discount and simple interest. Next time you are out to dinner or at a store, have your son or daughter practice their skills by making them calculate the tip, tax or discount!
Math A is currently studying proportional relationships. They are able to identify proportional relationships from given information in a chart and a table. Using their knowledge of proportions, the students will be creating a scale drawing of a favorite character, cartoon or person. They will also apply their proportion skills to find missing measurements on similar figures.
Seventh Grade Foundations class is finishing their chapter on fractions. Each student has been working hard to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions. Next, we will be moving on to learn about proportional realtionships.
8th grade
Who would have thought that Thanksgiving and Winter Break are just around the corner? We are sure that the students are looking forward to a break. In all math classes the students have been working really hard.
In Common Core 8, we have just finished Chapter 4 Functions. Most of the material in this chapter was an extension of Chapter 3. Next, CC8 will be going back to Chapter 1. This chapter will cover all of the Laws of Exponents. Students will be making an exponent book to help memorize the rules and procedures. This chapter can be challenging so make sure students are coming in for help if needed. Ask your child about the rule for an exponent of zero. They should tell you that any number to the zero power equals one.
In Math B, we have been working on Unit 2 which explores Linear and Exponential Relationships. We will be focusing on this unit until winter break. The students are getting more comfortable with the high school textbook. Students will continue to write linear and exponential equations and graph them but inequalities are now being incorporated. The students are learning when to use a solid or dashed line and how to shade the graph to represent all the solutions. If your child has any questions send them in for help.